Folding scissors

ABSTRACT

A folding scissors having a pair of arms terminating at one end in a sharpened blade portion. The opposite ends of the arms have reversely turned leaf spring portions slidably mounted in apertures in respective handle members for movement between an outer unfolded position and an inner folded position. The apertures in the handle members which receive the arms have projections therein forming stops for outward movement of the arms to their unfolded positions, and the arms at the inside surface of their reversely turned ends have grooves the bottoms of which engage the projections. The grooves allow the arms to move as far as possible to their outer position so that the reversely turned ends of the arms project a minimum distance into finger loops of the handle members. Such grooves also improve operation of the reversely turned portions in the handle apertures and in addition provide a more stable and long lasting structure.

United States Patent [1 1 Chundelak, Jr.

[451 Oct. 23, 1973 FOLDING SCISSORS [76] Inventor: Louis W. Chundelak, Jr., 13725 NE. Fremont Ct., Portland, Oreg. 97236 [22] Filed: June 26,1972

21 Appl. No.2 266,138

[52] U.S. Cl. 30/255 [51-] Int. Cl B26b 13/00 [58] Field of Search 30/255 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,090,130 3/l9l4 Borgetti 30/255 2,588,939 3/1952 Selander 30/255 FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLlCATIONS 208 1/1877 Great Britain... 30/255 Primary Examiner-James L. Jones, Jr. Assistant Examiner-4. C. Peters Attorney-Eugene M. Eckelman [57] ABSTRACT A folding scissors having a pair of arms terminating at one end in a sharpened blade portion. The opposite ends of the arms have reversely turned leaf spring portions slidably mounted in apertures in respective handle members for movement between an outer unfolded position and an inner folded position. The apertures in the handle members which receive the arms have projections therein forming stops for outward movement of the arms to their unfolded positions, and the arms at the inside surface of their reversely turned ends have grooves the bottoms of which engage the projections. The grooves allow the armsto move as far as possible to their outer position so that the reversely turned ends of the arms project a minimum, distance into finger loops of the handle members. Such grooves alsoimprove operation of the reversely turned portions in the handle apertures and in addition provide a more stable and long lasting structure.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures ments in scissors and is particularly concerned with a folding type scissors.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide folding scissors which in their over-all construction are efficient in usage and readily foldable between use and non-use positions.

More particular objects of the present invention are to provide scissors of the type described which employ a pair of arms slidably mounted in apertures in handle members and movable between an outer unfolded position and inner folded position with an end of the arms projecting into the openings of the handle members; to provide arm members which have reversely turned portions as the portions which extend through the apertures in the handle members, such reversely turned portions having a spring construction to provide frictional engagement and to allow free but controlled slidable movement in the handle members; to provide a groove at the inside surfaces of the reversely turned portions of the arms to form a controlled friction engagement with the handle members and also to provide a more stable and long lasting'structure; and to provide stop projections formed in the walls of the apertures through the handle members which are engaged by bottom portions of the grooves in the arms to facilitate outward positioning of the arms in the unfolded position so as to be substantially out of theplane of loop portions the handle members whereby reversely turned end portions of the handles do not interfere with a persons fingers gripping the handle members.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of the device.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a pair of scissors embodying features of the present invention; the scissors being shown in folded position;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a partially'unfolded position of the scissors in full lines and a fully unfolded position in phantom lines; and

FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and 4--4 of FIG. 2, respectively.

Referring in particular to the drawings, the scissors of the present invention have a construction facilitating folding thereof to a folded or non-use position as shown in FIG. 1 or an unfolded. or use position as shown in phantom lines in FIG. 2. The scissors comprise two arms 10 pivotally connected together intermediate their ends by pivot means 12. Preferably, pivot means 12 comprises a rivet since it has been found that a rivet, being headed at both ends, allows the scissors to be used with either hand.'The two arms 10 are of substantially the same construction and are pivotally connected in back to back or opposed relation for operation of cutting edges 14 ground therein.

Each of the arms 10 at its ends opposite from the sharpened ends 16 has a reversely turned leaf spring portion 18. Such reversely turned portions extend along a substantial length of their respective arms but terminate just short of the point of pivot connection with the other arm. These reversely turned portions overlie the arms but angle slightly away from the arms 10 toward their free ends, as best seen in FIG. 3, and

have an inside groove or thinned portion 20 at the inside surface of the bend. This thinned portion serves as one purpose to decrease the spring force of the reversely turned portion 18, for a purpose to be described. It has also been found that the thinned portion 20 minimizes the effect of strains which may be introduced into the arm 20 during heat treating. Further yet,

such thinned portion provides a more uniform bend without strain than if a uniform thickness of material were used. Also, there is less chance that the metal at the bend will crack.

Handle members 22 associated with the arms 10 have body portions 24 and the usual finger loops 26 integral with the body portions. Body portions 24 have longitudinal apertures 28 which are rectangular in configuration, as seen in FIG. 4, and which together with arms 10 are dimensioned and arranged to receive the reversely turned portions of respective arms 10. To install an arm 10 in a handle member 22, the sharpened end of such arm is moved through the loop 26 and through the end of aperture 28 which opens into the loop. The arm is then pulled through with the end of the reversely turned portion being sprung toward the arm so that the free end will move into such aperture. The dimensions of the apertures 28 are such that while theyfreely receive the reversely turned portions of the arms, the spring effect of the reversely turned portions provide a .slidable friction engagement with the inner walls of the apertures 28. With the grooves or thinned portions 20, the spring effect is somewhat weakened so that while the arms can be made of substantially thick and rugged material, the spring effect of the reversely turned portions 18 is lessened to provide ease of sliding movement through the handle.

A pair of projections 30 are provided on defining walls at upper and lower portions of the apertures 28. These projections lead inwardly from the opening of such apertures into the finger loops 26. Projections 30 serve as stops for the outward or unfolded position of the arms 10, as best viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3. The stops 30 are centered between the side walls of the apertures 28 and it is thus apparent that as the arms 10 are inserted in the handle members during installation, the arms 10 and their reversely turned portions 18 straddle the stops. In the unfolded position of the arms 10, stops 30 are engaged by the inside surface of the bend which comprises 'the bottoms of the grooved portions 20. Since the arms are thinned at this engaging portion, a minimum amount of arm portions at the bend will project into the finger loops. The end of the arms will thus not interfere with fingers gripping the loops.

To fold the scissors to their non-use position, the two arms 10 are pivoted so as to extend substantially straight out from each other, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2. In this position, the sharpened ends 16 of the arms lie between the other arm and its reversely turned portion 18. The body portions 24 of the handles are provided with longitudinal slots 32 on their upper ends to allow the tip portions of the scissors to move into the area between the opposite arm and its reversely turned portion. Also, one side of each of the body portions 24 is provided with a recess 34 in line with the head of rivet 12 to receive such rivet head when the scissors are folded.

To unfold the scissors from their position of FIG. 1, it is merely necessary to pull the handles apart and 3 pivot them to the use position shown in phantom lines in FIG. 2.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Folding scissors comprising a pair of arms pivotally connected together intermediate their ends, one end of said arms having a sharpened cutting portion and the other'end of said arms having a reversely turned portion overlying the arms but terminating short of the pivot connection between the arms, a handle for each arm having a body portion and a finger loop, each of said body portions having a longitudinal aperture therethrough opening into the loop of the handle, said arms being slidable in said apertures between inward folded and outward unfolded positions of the scissors, and projection means in said apertures engageable with the respective arms at the inside surface of the reverse turn of said arms to form a stop for the arms in the outward unfolded position of the scissors.

2. The folding scissors of claim 1 wherein the said arms are thinned at the inside surface of the reverse turn.

3. The folding scissors of claim 1 wherein the inside surface of said arms at the reverse turn is grooved to form a weakened portion at the bend.

4. The folding scissors of claim 1 wherein said reversely turned portion of said arms extends angularly away from their arms and are engaged frictionally in said longitudinal apertureunder spring action of said reversely turned portion, and means at the inside surface of said arms at the reverse turn defining a groove to form a weakened portion at the bend. 

1. Folding scissors comprising a pair of arms pivotally connected together intermediate their ends, one end of said arms having a sharpened cutting portion and the other end of said arms having a reversely turned portion overlying the arms but terminating short of the pivot connection between the arms, a handle for each arm having a body portion and a finger loop, each of said body portions having a longitudinal aperture therethrough opening into the loop of the handle, said arms being slidable in said apertures between inward folded and outward unfolded positions of the scissors, and projection means in said apertures engageable with the respective arms at the inside surface of the reverse turn of said arms to form a stop for the arms in the outward unfolded position of the scissors.
 2. The folding scissors of claim 1 wherein the said arms are thinned at the inside surface of the reverse turn.
 3. The folding scissors of claim 1 wherein the inside surface of said arms at the reverse turn is grooved to form a weakened portion at the bend.
 4. The folding scissors of claim 1 wherein said reversely turned portion of said arms extends angularly away from their arms and are engaged frictionally in said longitudinal aperture under spring action of said reversely turned portion, and means at the inside surface of said arms at the reverse turn defining a groove to form a weakened portion at the bend. 